Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
National Museum of Indian Cinema-NFDC Celebrates the Birth Anniversary of Dadasaheb Phalke with a screening of Raja Harishchandra
Mumbai, 29 April 2023
The National Museum of Indian Cinema – NFDC celebrated the Birth Anniversary of the father of Indian Cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke , with a special screening of India’s first feature film ‘Raja Harishchandra’ and renowned Marathi film ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’ along with a discussion on the legacy of Dada Saheb at the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Peddar Road, Mumbai today .
It was a rare experience for the youth, students and cinema lovers to watch India’s first feature film and a silent film, ‘Raja Harishchandra’ and the memory of it would last a lifetime. Dadasaheb Phalke, who was inspired by Raja Ravi Varma's paintings, chose one of the most popular mythological stories to make India's first feature film which was a commercial success at that time - paving way for the silent era of Indian Cinema. The audience was enthralled at the screening of another renowned Marathi Film called ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’, a film chronicling the making of ‘Raja Harishchandra’ by Paresh Mokashi. The film, which was a directorial debut won National Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi.
Following the screening, filmmaker, producer, and director - Shri Paresh Mokashi, film historian and expert on Phalke’s work - Shri Amrit Gangar, and film analyst, content creator, and founder of ‘Fables of Film’ - Shri Ankit Sinha, talked about the legend. They threw light on the legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke, his contribution, and his impact on the Indian Cinema and its audiences. The event was also attended by the grandson and granddaughter-in-law of Dadasaheb Phalke, Shri Chandrashekhar Pusalkar and Mrs. Mrudula Pusalkar, who are also the custodians of the last of his belongings such as some unseen photographs and a car in Nasik that was used by Dada Saheb. Dadasaheb Phalke made a total of 129 films and a talkie called 'Ganga Abotaran', informed Chandrashekhar Pusalkar.
“The day is special for every Indian because Dada Saheb Phalke was the person who laid the foundation for the magical world of Indian Cinema as we know it today. At the National Museum of Indian Cinema-NFDC, there is a treasure trove of Indian cinematic history and an entire section dedicated to Dada Saheb Phalke. The museum is a must-visit for every cinema lover in India and the world”, said the renowned Film scholar Shri Gangar. He was also one of the consultants when NMIC was curated.
The National Museum of Indian Cinema, a part of the National Film Development Corporation under the aegis of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is at the forefront of preserving and presenting the rich history of Indian Cinema and offers an opportunity for visitors to learn about the art and technology of filmmaking through hands-on interactivity with the old and modern process of filmmaking. NMIC-NFDC, the flagship museum of Indian Films was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in 2019 and is located at Peddar Road, Mumbai.| PIB Mumbai | SC/ DR
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